[Nana2Teddy]

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe

No safe is fire"proof."

Very large gun safes can easily weigh 1,000 pounds (1/2 ton). Most resist water and air (and thieves) from getting in, at least for a time, but the heat is what will singe/damage/catch things on fire. No safe is fireproof. They have a rating at which they will resist heat to rated temps for a rated amount of time. Basic safes will rate to 1,200F for an hour. 1,200F isn't hard to reach in a fire, and an hour goes by quickly.

That rating (safes vary - as do their price accordingly) means they will keep contents under 350f for an hour. Paper combusts at 451F. A fire will reach that easily. If your gun safe is in the middle of the house or deep in a basement, the temps will soar. If it is along an outside garage wall where air and firefighters with water can get to it and cool it down quickly, your odds of successfully saving contents increase greatly.

A Sentry safe is a grab-n-go safe that you can put inside your gun safe to give a double layer of protection from heat and water. It's like nesting boxes to protect goods you are shipping. Here's a link to what most mean when they refer to a Sentry safe:

Amazon.com

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Here's a basic primer on safe ratings: An Explanation of Fire Ratings for Home Safes and Gun Safes | Dean Safe

Thank you for this info!